1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a vacuum cleaner using a by-pass motor. More specifically, the invention relates to a vacuum cleaner utilizing a cyclone dust collecting apparatus to filter the larger particles and a dust filter to remove the remaining smaller particles still entrained in the air after it has already passed through the cyclone dust collecting apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Art
FIG. 1 shows a conventional vacuum cleaner using a by-pass motor. Referring to FIG. 1, the vacuum cleaner comprises a cleaner body 1 and a suction brush 2 movably connected to a lower portion of the cleaner body 1. In the lower portion of the cleaner body 1, a by-pass motor (not illustrated) is disposed. Being driven, the by-pass motor generates a suction force at the suction brush 2. Due to the suction force, dirt is drawn in from a cleaning surface through the suction brush 2 with air. The drawn-in air flows into an inflow path, which is disposed in the cleaner body 1, passing by the by-pass motor. Then, the air flows into a dust pocket 4 connected to an outlet 3 of the inflow path. That is, the air including the dirt is drawn in through the suction brush 2 and then is directed into the dust pocket 4 by the discharge pressure of the by-pass motor, simply passing by the by-pass motor. An inner side of the dust pocket 4 is enclosed by a dust filter so that the dirt entrained in the air is filtered out and cleaned air is exhausted through the dust pocket 4. In the conventional vacuum cleaner, the dust pocket 4 is made of a porous material or cloth that does not restrict the flow of air that is discharged by the discharge pressure of the by-pass motor, and through the dust pocket 4. Also, the dust pocket 4 is provided with a zipper 4a for opening and closing the dust pocket 4 so that, when the dust pocket 4 is full of dirt, the dirt is easily emptied. Accordingly, when the dust pocket 4 becomes full of the dirt during a cleaning operation, the dust pocket 4 is emptied by removing the dust pocket 4 from the cleaner body 1, and then the extracting the dust filter from the dust pocket 4 through the opened zipper 4a. Next, the old dust filter is replaced with a new one in the dust pocket 4, and the old dust filter full of dirt is discarded.
However, the vacuum cleaner as shown in FIG. 1 is mainly used in work places such as a hotel or a shop. Considering the amount of use a vacuum cleaner get in these work places, the dust pocket 4 is required to be very frequently emptied. Thus, since the old dust filter is frequently replaced by a new one, the costs involved can be considerable.
Also, taking the cost into consideration, the dust filter may be recycled. However, it is very inconvenient to shake the dirt out of the dust filter, and additionally there is a sanitary problem due to the large amount of dust generated while the dirt is shaken out of the dust filter.
The present invention was developed in order to solve the above problems. An object of the present invention is to provide a vacuum cleaner having an improved structure such that filtered dirt can be easily removed and the operational cost can be reduced.
According to the present invention in order to achieve the above object, a vacuum cleaner is provided with a suction brush movably disposed at a lower portion of a cleaner body and a by-pass motor disposed in the cleaner body, which generates a suction force at the suction brush. A cyclone dust-collecting apparatus is disposed in the cleaner body and has an inflow passage, into which air passing by the by-pass motor flows, and an outflow passage through which the air cleaned by a separation effect of centrifugal force is discharged. A dust bag is disposed in the cleaner body and connected to the outflow passage for filtering minute dust entrained in the once cleaned air which is discharged from the cyclone dust-collecting apparatus.
The cleaner body preferably has a first air path connecting the by-pass motor to the inflow passage of the cyclone dust-collecting apparatus, and a second air path connecting the outflow passage of the cyclone dust-collecting apparatus to the dust bag.